In the not-too-distant future, I can foresee Afghanistan’s Taliban being discussed in hushed and hallowed tones by doctoral scholars of international relations and unconventional warfare. They will talk about how the leaders of a ragtag guerrilla force led by barely literate village clerics demonstrated the strategic awareness, patience and political nous to complete a remarkable […]
The end of an era looms in Afghanistan after 20 years of a costly and tumultuous war. What began as a counterterrorism campaign to degrade Al-Qaeda soon morphed into what should have been an enduring nation-building exercise. However, the numbers of dead, injured, and displaced will continue to increase, especially among Afghans, as the Taliban […]
The UAE signed the Abraham Accords in September 2020 with the declared aim of promoting peace and stability in the region. The accords’ scope extended beyond bilateral relations with Israel, as they were supposed to set a “strategic agenda for the Middle East.” However, following the recent Israeli-Palestinian violence, the accords received a lot of […]
Recently, a long year after it was hit by a brutal wave of coronavirus cases, followed by widespread closures of its museums, theatres, concert halls and other cultural centers, New York returned to its old high-spirited, brash self as the metropolis sans pareil in America. Now with the coast clear, we get to rediscover why […]
At a time when support for the two-state solution is almost at its lowest level, we are now repeatedly hearing this term. What makes such statements by Western leaders so hypocritical is that it is little more than lip service. The term “two-state solution” applies to the final status of peace talks that must lead […]
This is a story of a great tragedy that had a beginning a little more that seventy years ago but shows no signs of ever having an end. It is the tragedy concerning the Palestinians. There could not be a more unfortunate segment of humankind than the Palestinians, intensified by the eleven day bombardment of […]
President Joe Biden’s decision to continue the U.S. military presence until September 11 might seem like the welcome beginning of the end to a “forever war” that roughly half of Americans believe has been a failure. But there are broader geopolitical forces at play and vital U.S. national interests at risk if the U.S. completely ended its involvement in […]
Begrudgingly, I doff my cap to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his left-hand man, national security adviser Ajit Doval. Within the space of five years, they have meticulously manipulated the Kashmir dispute in ways which few, if any people foresaw. Now they have managed to negotiate a de-escalation along both fronts in Kashmir set […]
On Sunday, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was asked if the United States needed to begin hostage negotiations with Iran, noting that the regime currently has detained at least six Americans. “We intend to very directly communicate with the Iranians about the complete and utter outrage… We will not accept a long term proposition where they continue […]
The UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) entered into force on 22 January 2021. At present, 86 member-states have signed the Treaty, and 51 of them have ratified it to be bound by its provisions. Most of the signatories of the TPNW come from South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Despite its […]